What Cruises Really Cost Me in 2025 (Every Expense Added Up)
Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.
Creator's Key Takeaways
I pay for my own cruises. I am not comped. I am not sponsored.
This is money that I deliberately put aside. I plan for it and I budget for it every single month.
We find cruises to be a wonderful way for us to do that, even the 3-day ones.
An informed decision is the best way to decide what to do with your money.
Creator's Tips & Advice
Questions This Creator Answers
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Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.
About our Bacon Score methodologyYouTube Video Description↓
📌 VIDEO DESCRIPTION What does cruising really cost over the course of a year? In this video, I’m breaking down exactly what I spent on cruises in 2025 — not just the cruise fare, but every expense added up. From base cruise costs and internet to dining, excursions, hotels, and even credits, this is the full, transparent picture most cruise videos don’t show. I took five cruises on five different ships across two cruise lines, and I tracked every dollar in an Excel spreadsheet throughout the year. This video isn’t about whether cruising is “worth it” — it’s about giving you real numbers so you can make informed decisions about your own cruise planning. Nothing about cruising is free… but informed decisions are. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS Base Cruise Expenses – 2:14 Internet Costs – 3:48 Drinks & Dining – 4:39 Experiences & Excursions – 6:05 Pre & Post Cruise Costs – 7:15 Flex Expenses (Credits, Points & Gambling) – 8:17 Total Cost Breakdown – 9:30 🎥 RELATED VIDEOS & PLAYLISTS ▶️ Worry-Free Shore Excursions: What Cruisers Need to Know 👉 https://youtu.be/c2CeE7jVrMk ⚓ ABOUT CRUISE ON DEMAND Here on Cruise On Demand, I help you cruise smarter with honest ship reviews, real-world cost breakdowns, practical tips, and cruise planning insights — without the hype. If this video helped you, consider subscribing so you don’t miss future cruise breakdowns, ship tours, and insider tips. Until next time, keep on cruising. Looking to book your next cruise? You can browse sailings, compare prices, and book directly through my travel agency website. When you book through this link, I’ll automatically become your travel agent and can help with questions, planning, and support at no extra cost. Cruise Travel Agent Website with Cruise Search Engine https://cruiseondemand.cruisebrothers.com/ 🌎 Book Excursions with Confidence on Viator Looking to plan your next shore day without the stress? Viator offers thousands of excursions worldwide — including Worry-Free Shore Excursions that guarantee you’ll return to your ship on time. Explore tours, check prices, and see verified reviews below: 🔗 Book Viator Excursions (including Worry-Free options) https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00006171&uid=U00669800&mcid=58086¤cy=USD 🛳 Set Sail the Virgin Way – Adults Only Ready to cruise without kids? Virgin Voyages offers a luxury, adults-only cruise experience with incredible food, Wi-Fi included, and no formal nights. Check sailings and pricing with my travel-advisor link here: 🔗 Book Your Virgin Voyage https://www.virginvoyages.com/book/voyage-planner/find-a-voyage?cabins=1¤cyCode=USD&agentId=253216&agencyId=450&bookingChannel=FMLINK 🏰 Disney Chase Visa – Earn Disney Dollars Toward Your Next Cruise! I earned a free Disney Cruise — and so can you! Earn Disney Dollars with every purchase. If you use the link below, you can earn a new Cardmember bonus after qualifying purchases — and I can get a bonus if you apply here and are approved for the card. 👉 Apply Here https://www.referyourchasecard.com/200x/8DC2JO4JYT Terms apply. Learn more at the link above. Terms apply. Learn more at the link above. If you need music for your own videos, you can get a free trial of Epidemic Sound with my link. It’s the library I use for all my cruise content. https://share.epidemicsound.com/pyf3ir